Fire-in-the-Belly
Looks like Fire-in-the-Belly wins in South Carolina. It’s easy to let politicians showcase their ‘Fire’ while we applaud them and cast secret ballots. But, how many of us are willing to stand up publicly for specific standards we believe in? I hope this number is growing.
Very often, those of us in the Healthy Family Formation Coalition (supporters of traditional marriage, pro-life, abstinence, life skills and healthy relationships education) have gotten well deserved Pats on the Back, Atta Boys, and Kudos from those that applaud our noble work. And, then our fans go on their way thankful that someone else is protecting their minor children from sexually explicit so-called comprehensive health education.
These are the same well-meaning citizens that are appalled by child sex abuse scandals, sex trafficking of young girls and boys, pornography, sexually explicit media, national sexuality standards, gender bending, and mandated free contraception for all ages. Unless they are personally impacted, most just look the other way.
The battle is overwhelming. I agree. But, just as we have seen the pro-life movement explode over the past years, we need some local Fire-in-the-Belly to stop the deliberate, systematic, sexualization (grooming) of our minor children from kindergarten through high school.
Just think, when our children are not exploited or seduced into sexual activity, we do not have to worry about unplanned pregnancies and abortions. One of the reasons teen pregnancy rates and abortions have dropped dramatically is that 75% of nationally surveyed youth, 17 and younger, have not had sex.
If we really want to see government entitlements shrink and students graduate from high school on time, parents and leadership need to take charge of their local schools and become activists for change that really will impact their children and grandchildren. Washington, DC, the Department of Education, and Political Leaders are not going to clean out the safe sex and anti-bullying trash in our schools. If anything, they are the problem.
CALL TO ACTION! You can do something, now. Since last July 1, a one year Proviso has been in effect that gives every SC citizen the right to complain about sex ed curricula or programs in their schools that are not in compliance with the SC Comprehensive Health Education Act (SC Law). It was not until Heritage Community Services requested (under the Freedom of Information Act) documentation from the SC Department of Education (SC DOE) that they had duly notified School Districts, that SC DOE actually did so. Five months overdue!
Just before the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, the SC DOE notified Superintendents of the Proviso in a memo full of other directives and information. They buried it. Why?
Did you know about this Proviso? Now we only have 5 months to act!
The Proviso, which expires this June 30th, basically states that each school district must comply with the SC Law. “Upon receipt of a notarized complaint, and if the complaint is determined to be founded, immediate action must be taken to correct the violation. If corrective action is not taken, the district must have its base student cost reduced by one percent.” (search for Amendment 74A)
CALL TO ACTION: Find out what sex education, health education or anti-bullying curricula and/or programs are approved in your school district or provided by any private agencies during or after school. If you cannot find out, that is reason enough for alarm. Ask yourself these questions:
- Is Abstinence Education taught or strongly emphasized in your school? (SC Law: “Abstinence and the risks associated with sexual activity outside of marriage must be strongly emphasized.”)
- Is traditional marriage taught? (SC Law: “provide instruction that will support the development of responsible personal values and behavior and aide in establishing a strong family life for themselves in the future and emphasize the responsibilities of marriage”)
- Are parents mentioned or parental rights promoted? (SC Law: “Parents…have the right to exempt their child from comprehensive health education program classes.”)
- Is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) included? This is the STD that causes cervical and oral cancers and is spread skin to skin, outside the protection of a condom. (Some textbooks and programs fail to mention HPV indicating that they are medically inaccurate. Since condoms are less effective at preventing the transmission of HPV and it is the primary STD causing cervical and oral cancers, it is important for students to know the limitations of condoms.)
- Are refusal skills for sex equal to refusal skills for tobacco, alcohol, drugs, or violence? Why not? (The messages should be consistent when addressing risk avoidance skills)
- What about instructions on how to find condoms at the drug store, how to put on condoms, or how to deal with homosexual feelings? (SC Law: “The program of instruction provided for in this section may not include a discussion of alternate sexual lifestyles from heterosexual relationships including, but not limited to, homosexual relationships except in the context of instruction concerning sexually transmitted diseases.” “Films, pictures, or diagrams in any comprehensive health education program in public schools must be designed solely for the purpose of explaining bodily functions or the human reproduction process and may not include actual or simulated portrayals of sexual activities or sexual intercourse.”)
If you have concerns that your school district is not complying with the SC Law, you can send a signed, notarized letter to the Chairman of the School Board. I would recommend that copies also be sent to the Superintendent, other school board members, and anyone else you think needs to know. You must be specific in detailing the issue, deficiency or additions that you feel are not in compliance. Ask for a specific date for an official response from the School Board. Document and make copies of all communications, and curricula/pages you think are in violation of the Law. Let me know what happens!
Where is your Fire-in-the-Belly to protect our minor children? It is up to you to ensure that your school board is obeying the SC Law.
Today, there are two different types of sex education classes. Depending on what your state or local school district mandates, your teen will either be learning the Comprehensive Sexuality Education or the Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Program. These programs represent two completely different schools of thought, but either way, it is imperative for you to know what your child is learning. You will need to do your best not to get caught up in the politics of the sex education classes as much as be the buffer or the fill-in person for your teenager.